With thousands of Summerlanders we are now cleared to return home. We are excited to finally return. Our almost 7-year-old Labradoodle, Juno, shares our joy. We know our home escaped damage; likely the worst evidence of the Bald Range Wildfire will, for us, be smoke and ash. A local pet owner posted just yesterday a... Continue Reading →
What really is best for Canada — Trying to please Trump gets us nowhere
Andrew Coyne just made an argument that goes straight to the heart of Canadaโs Trump problem. If Washington is going to punish Canada no matter what Canada does, then at some point Canada has to stop making every decision based on how Donald Trump might react. Coyneโs point was simple: โIf you lose no matter... Continue Reading →
โThe roots of true community are fireproofโ — A Wildfire Worship Experience — Sunday August 16, 2026
An archival shot from Cartwright Mountain, an area likely destroyed by the Bald Range wildfire. Resources and thoughts assembled by me, the Very Rev. Ken Gray, all in light of the Bald Range Wildfire in and around Summerland, BC as we and over 20,000 others are evacuated from our homes and community for an indefinite... Continue Reading →
Hope in the age of wildfire
After one week evacuated from our home in Summerland, an exodus forced by the Bald Creek wildfire, one of the worst in the history of British Columbia, ย we join another 20,000 home and business owners hoping for an imminent and safe return to our homes and our little Town. A very small section of Summerland... Continue Reading →
A day-5 evacuation story
Image: Hope, Susan Norie From Facebook [Ken Gray - I don't know Banu Tรผlรผmen's but they tell a beautiful story admist so much uncertainty.] I don't quite know how to describe these past five days. There are stories everywhere. Some heartbreaking. Some heroic. Stories of loss and uncertainty, but also extraordinary stories of kindness, generosity... Continue Reading →
Picture this — Wildfire
These images were created prior to our evacuation from Summerland late Friday night. Given our hurried packing there was no time to take shots of the fire itself though we did witness the Cartwright Mountain Ridge (our dog walking area) fully aflame. Many such images are sprinkled throughout social and news media. Our evacuation story... Continue Reading →
Jann Arden — Always surprises
Reposted from Facebook I am getting married in 12 days. There isnโt a single thing anyone could have ever said or done to have prepared me for the future I find myself standing in right now. It is as surreal and as deliciously whimsical as you might imagine. Change is the thing that makes us... Continue Reading →
โI Deeply Believe Dogs Have Superpowers and Secretsโ
Prompted by a fierce attachment to his own pet, Paul Yoon wrote a harrowing yet hopeful novel, set during wartime, told from a canine perspective. By Pamela Newton, in the New York Times, Aug. 2, 2026 For visuals by Erik Tanner visit the link with the full article above. Oscar, a sweet, lumbering 70-pound lab... Continue Reading →
Simple disciplines for healthy living
Dr Amir Khan GP MBChB(hons) MRCGP DCH DRCOG DipDiab PGCE On Instagram These are five things humans have done for generations that modern life has quietly pushed aside. The wonderful thing? Theyโre completely free. Memorise something. Give your brain a workout instead of outsourcing everything to your phone. Sing. It doesnโt matter if youโre in... Continue Reading →
The Great Kaslo Ecumenical Pilgrimage
YOU ARE INVITED to the third in a series of Pilgrimages sponsored by the Ecclesiastical Province of BC/Yukon in collaboration with the Parish of Kokanee in the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay. From September 14-18, 2026 St. Markโs in Kaslo will host a week-long gathering of pilgrims from across the province for prayer and worship, shared... Continue Reading →